Kryptonite
by AeonFrodo
Summary: Athena's greatest strength comes from her special ears, but it can also be her greatest weakness.
1. Chapter 1

I have to admit, when I first saw the prompt on the kink meme and my analysis being put up there, I felt a bit awkward. Needless to say, there is no sexual content in this fic (not all kink meme prompts are sexual too). I decided to do this mainly because I'm probably one of the few people that have experienced sensory overload before and this should be filled by somebody who has known that experience.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this, and I hope it gives some insight on how sensory overload works.

* * *

**Disclaimer: Ace Attorney and all recognisable characters belong to Capcom**

* * *

**Kryptonite**

The case seemed to be fairly simple. A businessman, Pascal Watt, was murdered in his hotel room, and the accused, Megan Hertz, was working in room service. According to Dessie Bell, a photojournalist, she witnessed Ms. Hertz deal the deadly blow to Mr. Watt's head using the small statue sitting in the middle of the table.

But we were getting a different story from the defendant's testimony. By the time she entered the room, Mr. Watt was already dead and nobody else was in the room. Not only that, but she managed to get a glimpse of the person who took the incriminating photograph of her at the crime scene. Prosecutor Blackquill attempted to convince the court that Ms. Hertz falsified her testimony, but me and Apollo proved with evidence that she was telling the truth. After all, the police couldn't have possibly been on the scene two minutes after Ms. Hertz was photographed in the room.

From the tone of Apollo's voice, I could sense that he was totally excited that we were going to crack this case. We knew from our investigation yesterday that Ms. Bell's behaviour was strange. I picked up joy in her voice when I asked her about why Ms. Hertz clobbered Mr. Watt, an extremely unnatural reaction for watching somebody getting killed in front of her. Unfortunately, before I could dig deeper, a policeman escorted her away from us because she was 'clearly distressed and traumatized from witnessing a murder.' That was the biggest load of crap I'd ever heard.

Now that we were in court, there was nothing to stop us extracting the truth and exposing every contradiction. I knew what I had to do next.

"Ms. Hertz, you said that you managed to catch a glimpse of the photographer. Please describe to the court what you saw."

Prosecutor Blackquill slammed his desk. "Enlighten me, Cykes-dono. How does the photographer have any other relevance to the case, other than capturing the moment of the crime?"

Smirking, I announced, "The defence believes the photographer is the real culprit!"

The gallery erupted into gasps and murmurs at this revelation, probably wondering how I came to that conclusion. It made complete sense to me. The photographer murdered Mr. Watt, exited the room and hid somewhere down the hallway. The photographer called room service, then the police, and waited until the unlucky woman, Ms. Hertz, found the grisly scene. Once she entered the room, the photographer snapped the photo, fled the scene and bumped into the police who were making their way upstairs. The photographer showed them the photograph saved on the camera, and that's why they believed Ms. Hertz was the killer.

However, my ears were tingling at an unusual noise that stood out from the chaos. It was discord. But how could that be? These people were just watching us determine whether the defendant was guilty or innocent of murder. Something was just not right.

"That was a bold move you made," Apollo chimed, breaking my chain of thought, "Although, we shouldn't be putting all our eggs in one basket."

I acknowledged Apollo, but I could still hear that discord screaming over the voices of the people in the gallery. Whenever I heard discord, my ears sting slightly and it only lasts for mere moments. But this sound of discord was constant, and the longer I heard it, the more my ears ache.

With the entire court in disarray, the additional noise wasn't helping. I was starting to feel a bit dizzy. And that was a very, very bad sign.

The Judge's gavel came down with a bang, and his booming voice silenced the people. But the discord was still present. Were my ears playing tricks on me? Or was it really there?

"That is quite a claim, Ms. Cykes. Can you explain why this photographer is relevant?"

"Sure, Your Honour." I rubbed the back of my ear, feeling every nerve around that area registering pain. I flinched slightly, hoping no one noticed that I was faltering. "The photographer could've used that photo to frame my client. Considering my client was at the scene of the crime two minutes before being arrested by the police, it's possible that the photographer showed the photo to one of the arresting officers. Therefore, that's how our client became the prime suspect of the murder."

While the Judge mused over my explanation, I heard Apollo whisper, "Are you fine Athena?" I wasn't surprised Apollo picked that up from my body language; it was an obvious tell that something was wrong. Although, I bet he didn't know what my actions meant.

"Don't worry, I'm good," I whispered, trying to reassure Apollo, and myself from this pain. The pain was beginning to become intolerable, as the high pitched sound was slowly chipping away at my composure. I couldn't display any weakness while I was defending my client. I had to be strong for Ms. Hertz.

"That does sound possible. But the court needs at least some validation of the identity of the photographer," the judge charged.

Great. It wasn't a good time to spell out things to the judge, as it was getting harder to concentrate by the second as long as that discord still existed. I rubbed my ear again before giving the obvious answer.

"Then let's ask the defendant. She did catch a glimpse of the photographer, so any information of their identity is better than nothing."

"Do you have any objections, Prosecutor Blackquill?"

The Twisted Samurai smirked. "I'm looking forward whether the defence is chasing a lead, or chasing their tail."

I shrugged off Simon's attempt at provoking a reaction from me and turned my attention to my client at the witness stand. She appeared daunted to give another statement. As much as I didn't want to force it out of her, we had to find the truth, and hopefully prove her innocence. She was the key to getting us closer to that truth.

"Ms. Hertz," the judge stated, "Please describe to the court what the photographer looked like."

She hesitantly gave her approval, making me a bit worried that she may not have seen enough of the photographer to give an accurate description. I had to deal with her own suffering before my own, so she could feel more comfortable giving her statement.

"It's all right Ms. Hertz. Tell us as much as you know. The defence believes in you."

My client gave me a small smile. I was glad she was a bit more comfortable. This next statement she could give was the breakthrough we needed.

But as soon as she opened her mouth, the discord grew slightly louder. I grunted quietly, the pain was a lot more unbearable than it was before. It was becoming incredibly difficult not to show it in front of Apollo. It was like something was drilling through my ears and into my brain. I could feel my head throbbing from being exposed to this noise.

I took a fleeting glance at Apollo, who was focused on Ms. Hertz's testimony. I was wondering how he could not hear what I was hearing. The discord was much louder, and in a quiet courtroom, that wasn't natural.

Ms. Hertz stopped speaking. I missed her entire testimony because of... whatever was making that noise. I had to find the source of the noise now. It was interfering with me and I couldn't focus unless it was gone. Just... who would believe me?

"That description matches-"

The noise then pierced my ears. I gave in, covering my ears and made a horrifying scream.


	2. Chapter 2

I hope everybody had a great Christmas, and thanks everybody that has read and reviewed this so far!

* * *

**Kryptonite**

The judge slammed the gavel before the gallery went into an uproar. The sharp noise of that tiny hammer making contact with the stand made me press my hands harder against my ears. I lowered my head to avoid all the eyes that were upon me.

I felt so vulnerable having my weakness exposed in front of people I'd never met. I could feel those eyes on me, judging my ability to defend my client and keeping my dignity under pressure. But there wasn't much I could do. After all, who would believe me when I heard an acute noise nobody else could hear?

"Ms. Cykes, I am aware of your condition. But if you cannot remain in court because of the gallery's reaction, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave the courtroom," the Judge firmly warned.

"Wait!" Apollo interjected with his booming loud voice. I turned my body away from Apollo in an attempt to not suffer from his Chords of Steel in my current state. "Athena could've heard something we all could've missed, and it must be causing her a lot of pain. Let me ask her right now, and see if my bracelet reacts or not."

While the Judge was deliberating the request, I let my hands relax over my ears. My ears were stinging, and my head was throbbing so painfully. I didn't want to cover my ears anymore, but that shrill noise still existed in the air. I wanted a reprieve right now.

"You can go ahead Mr. Just-"

"Silence!"

Simon practically stole the spotlight from Apollo with his intimidating roar. I wasn't sure what idea he had, but I was hoping it could hasten a drawn out process.

"After Athena screamed, I heard the disturbance," Simon said confidently, "It was an unnatural, high pitched din that was causing Athena distress ever since she was explaining why the photographer was related to the case. But it did not reach my ears until after she screamed. It is a very faint sound to me, but to Athena the noise would've been extremely unbearable."

It was my turn to be surprised. I thought I was the only person that could hear it, but it sounded like when it gotten intensely loud Simon picked it up. At least it was going to be much easier to prove that the sound was real and not a figment of my imagination.

The Judge acknowledged Simon, but then faced me. He asked, "Ms. Cykes, can you please tell the court when you first heard this sound?"

"Y-Yeah," I stammered, still reeling from my ears and head aching like crazy. I held my forehead and forced my head to face the courtroom. I felt incredibly embarrassed, but the constant throbbing in my head felt like a ton of bricks. "It was... soon after I accused the photographer... of being the real killer, while the gallery was in disorder."

The Judge was visibly taken aback; it must have been hard to believe for him and anybody else, for me to hear a specific noise above all the chaos in the courtroom. Simon wasn't surprised, as I expected him to be. He knew me better than anybody else in the courtroom. From the corner of my eyes, I noticed Apollo face away from me. I couldn't see his eyes, but I could sense his anger.

Simon raised his arm to slam his desk, but stopped just before he made contact with it. It was an amusing sight, but I had a feeling he did it out of consideration for my tender ears.

"The prosecution asserts that somebody in the courtroom is harming Athena purposely to prevent themselves, or their accomplice, from being accused as the murderer!"

The gallery murmured amongst themselves, suspicious of who could've done such a thing. I covered my ears, now that my secret was out there was no need to hide it. I grew concerned though of how the person managed to pull something off like this. They most likely did a lot of research on sound and how it affected people with sensitive hearing.

This time though, I didn't hear any unnatural sound standing out from the voices of the people in the gallery. I was relieved, but it was going to take a while for me to recover from it. Not to mention I still feel overwhelmed from a lot of noise and any sort of loud sound because of my overexposure to that high frequency noise.

The Judge smacked the gavel down, silencing the gallery. Before the Judge could speak his mind, Simon spoke, "I demand a half an hour recess! While Athena is recovering, the constabulary will conduct a search of everybody in the gallery for any device that can emit a high frequency sound!"

For what seemed liked the first time, the Judge was not surprised at Simon's statement. It was clearly evident when he responded calmly, "The court agrees with the prosecution." He slammed the gavel down, to obtain the attention of everybody in the courtroom. "Court will have a recess of thirty minutes. However, only the defence and prosecution can leave the premise without being searched. Gallery, on behalf of the court I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Due to the nature of this attack on the defence, I cannot allow this incident to be overlooked. Your full cooperation will be appreciated. Court is adjourned!"

* * *

I was the first to rush out of the courtroom. It was my only opportunity to head to the bathroom in silence to check if there was visible damage on my ears. Back when I had sensory overload frequently, my ears turned red and they were too tender to touch. I didn't want to see something like that again, but I had to know how bad it was.

I pushed open the bathroom door, where it made a loud squeak which echoed slightly. I immediately put a hand over my ear, flinching as I entered. After suffering overload once, my ears couldn't tolerate anything that could trigger it again. That wasn't a great sign.

I went to the sink, removing my glove before washing my face with cool water. I could feel less pain in my head as the water dripped off my tense face. I really needed it; it was like the pain was numbed out. Although it meant checking my ears could come sooner.

I faced the mirror, moving my hair so I could clearly see my ears. Then I noticed the damage that was done. It wasn't as bad as I anticipated it to be, but it was a scary reminder that my sensitive hearing was always going to be a part of me, no matter how much I desensitise them. The outer edges of my ears were burning red, and were tender to touch. I hadn't experienced it since I was eleven and it brought up horrible memories when I had sensory overload. I was rendered useless whenever those episodes happened and I was put into a quiet room until I was in little or no pain at all.

Ultimately, those memories struck a chord in me. The last time I was completely and utterly useless was back during Simon's trial, where he was convicted of killing my mother. I had done everything in my power to prevent that gut wrenching feeling of helplessness from occurring again. But I never expected that my greatest ability, my ability to hear out of place sounds nobody else could pick up, could make me feel this way.

I heard footsteps outside the bathroom. There was no more time to dwell on issues. I needed to return to the defendant's lobby, recover and regroup before I step into the courtroom. It was going to take a lot of strength and courage to pull it off, but I had a client to defend and I couldn't let her down.


	3. Chapter 3

This chapter was difficult to write because of a couple of scenes. So I turned to Superman related media for some inspiration for the chapter (and the rest of the fic in fact). I listened to the song Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down a lot, and watched the latest Superman movie, Man of Steel. Those things confirmed what quality I really admire in Superman that I don't believe a lot of people would pick up and I really hope it shows in this fic. Enjoy!

* * *

**Kryptonite**

I spun around and hurried towards the exit. I wasn't sure how long I had been in the bathroom, but if a person was in the hallway it meant that there could be a lot of people needing the restroom. It was the best time to leave, especially with my ears so sensitive to any sort of noise.

As I opened the door and took a step forward, I jumped seeing Dessie Bell standing in the doorway. If looks could kill, her glare would've murdered me on the spot. She was probably still angry about me pressing her on why she felt happiness when she witnessed Pascal Watt slaughtered in front of her. Although, I wonder if I was able to question her further would I find out the truth of this case earlier?

"Elegant." Ms. Bell simply said that one word, with a hint of sarcasm. She then brushed past me, hitting me with the fact that my face was still dripping wet. I wanted to punch her for that, considering she just kicked me when I was down.

I ignored my bubbling rage and finally exited the bathroom. If I was going to recover from that sensory overload episode, I needed to head back to the defendant's lobby. It was going to be the quietest room in the courtroom, and I could rest there until the recess was over.

I began moving to my destination as fast as I possibly could, before the gallery occupied the hallways of the courthouse.

* * *

I reached the defendant's lobby a few minutes later, having to shift through a small crowd who were discussing the case's proceedings in the hallway. I gathered I'd been in the bathroom for around five minutes, which seemed reasonable. The bailiffs and the police in the courtroom must be searching the people in the gallery quickly.

I entered the room, seeing Apollo talking to Megan Hertz about the case. Our client appeared calm despite what happened previously, I could only assume Apollo had reassured her that she was doing a great job. I admired her bravery to describe the photographer when she doubted herself; I wished I had heard the testimony, not because it was vital information but just out of respect for her courage standing at the witness stand with all eyes on her.

Ms. Hertz was the first to notice my presence in the room and waved at me. I gingerly waved back as Apollo turned to see me. He then stood up from the couch and walked into the middle of the room, with his head down. He had been like that around me since I told the court how long I heard that horrible sound. I began to speculate that something I did really pestered him, but I couldn't exactly pinpoint it.

However, speaking to Apollo wasn't too important. My priority was looking after my client and addressing her concerns before the trial reconvened. I took Apollo's place on the couch and rubbed her shoulder, reassuring her that everything was going to be okay for her.

She turned to me, with a small smile. "Thanks for thinking about me Ms. Cykes, but I'm more worried about you. What if... whatever made that sound gets past the police search and uses it against you again?"

I felt my heart skip a beat. That was completely plausible. The court bailiffs had no idea what the device looked like. And even if they thought they had confiscated it and removed the person from the courtroom, the real culprit could still be at large and activate it whenever they wanted. With my ears affected from the incident before, I was certain it was going to hurt even more.

Even with that grim, yet very possible outcome on my mind, it was my duty to stay strong for my client. There was still a chance that the bailiffs could catch the culprit and we could have a fair and safe trial for everybody in the courtroom. I just had to keep that thought in mind.

"You shouldn't have to worry about me. The law will find the culprit and he will be far away from me."

Then I heard a loud muffled thump from nearby, but I felt the shockwaves through my feet. "Stop telling everybody you're fine! You're clearly not! I can even hear it in your voice!"

My ears flared up at Apollo's outburst and I was forced to cover them. My heart was thudding so hard in my body. The last time I felt that feeling was the retrial of the UR-1 case where I was the defendant. It was like everybody was watching me unravel again, but only my co-worker was there that time. And he was showing me no sympathy.

"There! You're doing it again! How can you represent your client when you can't look after yourself?" Apollo barked, with his left fist in a ball and his veins in his hand looking like they were about to burst. I could almost feel his bracelet tighten around me, trying to restrain my emotions.

"It's not about me!" But I couldn't hold back. I'm sure my own explosive emotions surprised Ms. Hertz. "It's about believing and defending our client to the bitter end! I have to be strong for her!"

"Not when your own health is at stake Athena! If I knew that when you rubbed your ear it meant something was bothering you! I should've gotten you out of there before the damage was done!"

"Well it's too fucking late for that!"

"Then why the hell didn't you tell me?"

I bit my lip. I knew why, but Apollo wouldn't accept it. He would do everything in his power to keep me out of the courtroom. And I couldn't accept that.

"I told you before Apollo. I had to be strong for Ms. Hertz. I cannot show any weakness, to you or to anybody, while I'm doing my job." I lowered my voice. I couldn't expose myself to more racket or else I probably couldn't be in the courtroom after the recess.

Unfortunately, Apollo saw weakness in that. "God damn it Athena! Just listen to your body for once!"

"Maybe you should practice what you preach."

Apollo's brow scrunched and his fists were burning white. "I had a damn good reason-"

"Now that's enough!"

The new voice silenced us both. We clearly knew who it belonged to, and I could feel his disappointment from my seat. I slowly turned my pounding head, meeting his soft grey eyes. I immediately felt a soothing sensation in my body. I was so glad he was here for both of us.

"Both of you need to calm down. I understand that you're both concerned about something but you need to recuperate and rethink about the trial and the environment you're in."

He presented a water bottle in front of me and I couldn't help but to grab it. I felt the chill run through my body, but it was a welcome feeling after my adrenaline rush.

"Thank you Boss."

Phoenix handed one to Apollo too, as I unscrewed the cap and took a gulp of the liquid. I felt the water flow through my parched throat, something I didn't realise until the relief washed over me. My boss knew exactly how to make anybody feel better about themselves.

I glanced at Ms. Hertz, who also received a bottle from Phoenix. She smiled at him and had a mouthful of water herself. She must have been stressed while Apollo and me were arguing. I felt horrible and had another swig of my beverage to cleanse those thoughts.

Suddenly Phoenix knelt down to my level and placed a firm hand on my right shoulder. It effectively grabbed my attention, and I felt uncertain what he was going to convey to me. Was it information, advice or a scolding?

"Athena, I heard what happened from Apollo and I came here as quickly as I could. I'm sorry it triggered at that time for you. I can't imagine what it feels like when you have sensory overload."

I was stunned at what he said. My brain felt like mush and my words just flowed out. "Thanks Boss, but you shouldn't have to feel sorry for me. It's something I was born with, and I have to find ways to... keep it from happening again."

"I'm sure you tried your best not to show it. But now that your sensitive hearing has been exposed to everyone, you can use that to your advantage."

"Excuse me?" I blurted out in bewilderment.

_Where was he going with this? How could my weakness be my strength?_

"Think of it this way. You know how superheroes have human identities, and they live as normal citizens until civilization is in danger. They wear a suit to hide their human identities and save the world as their hero persona. In the end, they return to their normal human lives."

"Yeah?"

"What superhero doesn't this apply to?"

I thought over the superheroes I knew off the top of my head. I was surprised that it didn't take me long to figure out which one my boss was talking about.

"Superman, right?"

Phoenix nodded. "Now, what do _you_ have in common with Superman?"

"We both have one huge weakness. Superman's greatest weakness is Kryptonite, while mine is my sensitive hearing. I guess we both have our own Kryptonites we hope our opponents don't exploit."

Phoenix smirked. "You're kind of on the right track. Just think about what I said before, and you'll figure it out."

Before I could utter another word Phoenix stood up and turned away from me. I couldn't believe he just left me hanging. I had so much on my mind already, would an unsolved riddle help me in court? I knew whatever Phoenix told me while I was taking on a case always alleviated the pressure. Maybe thinking about superheroes helped relieved him once, so it could work on me.

I had another sip of my drink as I checked where my boss was going. He didn't go far, as he was speaking to Apollo. Hopefully his advice to Apollo wasn't as vague as what I received.

I glanced over at Ms. Hertz, who appeared in better shape than before. She was calm and relaxed, enjoying each drop of cooling water she had swallowed. At least it was one less worry on my mind.

It allowed me to attempt to eavesdrop on my boss' conversation with Apollo. That's the one thing about having hyper sensitive hearing I could use to my advantage, as long as the people are relatively close and there's little to no noise in my environment. Unfortunately, Phoenix was speaking in a low voice and it was very difficult to hear exactly what he had said to my co-worker.

There was one part though I was able to pick up very clearly, and it sounded like Phoenix was chastising Apollo. He said, "Be considerate of Athena's condition and keep a close eye on her." I didn't know exactly what to feel about it because Apollo was worried about me when we were bickering, yet I was glad he was told off about it.

The door creaked open, revealing Prosecutor Simon Blackquill. He first stared in my direction and smiled. He appeared relieved I was recovering from the incident in the courtroom. Although if word got to his ear that Apollo was yelling at me a few minutes earlier, Apollo would be cut down. He then looked over at Phoenix and Apollo, who had turned to face him.

"Wright-dono, it is good that you have arrived," Simon began, panning his gaze across the room, "Anyway, I'm here to bring a message to you all."

I could hear from the tone of his voice that it wasn't good news. Perhaps my worse fear was about to come true.

"The constabulary were unable to find the device causing the disturbance. I'm sorry Athena, but there may be a possibility that the perpetrator may harass you with that horrible din again."

I lowered my head. I wasn't looking forward to round two of discord hell.

"There's more. The judge told me that if Athena disturbs the court again, she would have to be removed from the court and Justice-dono would have to lead the defence. There will be no more recesses for Athena's condition."

And then my heart sank. That would be the worst case scenario. To be completely and utterly helpless to defend my client... all because of this one noise that trigger my weakness. Whoever was responsible for that device was going to pay for messing with me.

"I hope for your sake Athena it doesn't happen. If you want to though, we can put Wright-dono in the front seat near you so that you can be escorted out safely."

"Yes, please," I distantly said, "I just hate that I'm the one looking like the bad guy here."

"Everyone in this room knows that you're not imagining things," Apollo spoke in a reassuring tone, "Even if you are removed from court, I'll find a way to prove that sound exists along with the murderer."

I looked up and forced a smile. Apollo cheered me up, in his own way, despite our strained relationship. I felt a little bit more confident with him by my side in the courtroom when the trial resumed.

"I'll be speaking to the photographer, Ms. Bell in the ten minutes we have left. I hope the trial will not be interrupted by that terrible sound again. And rest well, Athena."

Simon made his exit before I could question him. Then it hit me. The photographer was Dessie Bell, the woman I was suspicious of because she felt happiness when witnessing Mr. Watt's murder. It all made sense. She would have a motive for preventing me from listening to Ms. Hertz's statement. It was so that I couldn't accuse her of being the true culprit behind the murder!

If that was the case, I would be fighting an uphill battle. She knew my weakness and would exploit it whenever I was on the right track. That would mean she would be in possession of the device causing the unnatural discord. But how did she hide it? And how would I be able to prove she was the murderer?

I wasn't just going to be in an uphill battle. I was going to be climbing a mountain, while constantly being exposed to my _Kryptonite_.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks for the support everyone! This chapter was a bit full on to write, but there were parts that I had fun writing.

* * *

**Kryptonite**

The atmosphere in the courtroom was uneasy. Whenever I looked at a bailiff, I received a gloomy expression in return. The root cause of this was not finding the culprit who held the device. I was in danger of experiencing another sensory overload episode. My ears had become tender from the episode before, so they were more vulnerable to any abrasive sound and it was going to be a lot worse.

Apollo kept on glancing back at me, unable to keep his focus on the Prosecutor's bench opposite us. He was aware that in my current state I was prone to sharp and loud noises. I appreciated that he was worried about me, but we had to find the person behind the murder of Pascal Watt.

Speaking of the person who could've committed the crime, Dessie Bell was already standing at the witness stand. She didn't appear nervous or flustered despite that she was identified as the photographer. The reason was probably because we hadn't proved the photographer was the one that murdered the victim; we just showed it was possible. However, this new information made me certain that Ms. Bell was the murderer, and I bet somewhere in the evidence I could prove it.

The Judge pummelled the gavel, silencing the courtroom. "Court will now reconvene for the trial of Megan Hertz."

"The defence team is ready, Your Honour." I presented myself as confident and primed. Even though I could feel my ears burning, there was a part of me screaming to not cave in.

"The prosecution is ready, Your Baldness." Simon looked determined as I did to finish the case. Although his eyes did not waver from me, which could mean that he was concerned about me as much as Apollo was.

"Ms. Cykes, before we begin proceedings, are you aware what would happen if you had another one of your sensory overload episodes?" The Judge asked.

There were a few antagonistic murmurs I picked up in the gallery, mostly directed at me. I grumbled, angry that these strangers would hate me for what I was born with. But it couldn't be helped at the moment.

"Yes, I am. Mr. Wright is nearby to escort me out, if necessary."

I glanced over at my boss, who was sitting in the small section of the court that was allocated to him. Out of us professionals, he didn't seem worried about me at all with that smile on his face. I was glad that he was happy with me, although that riddle of his bothered me. What else did I have in common with Superman? We both have sensitive hearing, but he can control it and I can't, and we both have a huge weakness. I just had no clue and no time to think about it longer.

"Good. Now, where we last left off, the defendant identified the witness at the stand as the photographer at the scene. Please give your name and occupation to the court for the record."

"My name is Dessie Bell. I'm a freelance photojournalist."

"The defence has accused you of murder, Ms. Bell. How do you respond?"

Ms. Bell crossed her arms and glared at me. Her look was of pure hatred and I could feel her anger from my position. I swear today was _everybody hates Athena Cykes day_.

"The defence is just desperate to pin the crime on somebody other than their client. I only snapped the photo moments after the murder and it captured the killer. It was the defendant, Megan Hertz!"

There! I heard the discord in her voice again! When Ms. Bell accused Ms. Hertz of murder, I picked up the same joy I heard in her voice yesterday. She was already at the stand, so all I had to do was to find a contradiction in her testimony and I would have her right where I wanted her!

However, my ears were on stalks, listening out for any unnatural discord. If Ms. Bell was to exploit my sensitive hearing again, she would activate the device, wherever she hid it. I didn't have Apollo's intense concentration, but maybe I could see a slight movement that would indicate she was pressing a button.

She didn't move her hands from her jeans or make any obvious movements. Ms. Bell was like a statue, with only her mouth opening slightly to breathe. Apollo hadn't raised any objections, so he must not have picked up any cues from her either.

"We won't get anywhere without a proper testimony and cross-examination. Ms. Bell, the court would like to hear what you did around the time you took the photograph." The Judge's tone was deadly serious. It was unlike him to get back to business right away, but considering the circumstances behind the last recess, he wanted to cut to the chase.

Ms. Bell's lips curved into the most wicked smile I'd ever seen. And the moment she opened her mouth, all I could hear was white noise.

Her lips were moving, but I wasn't hearing a single word. Somebody had activated the device again and at the worst time. If everybody had my ears, they would know this interference was no coincidence.

The 'discord' was incredibly intense as my ears were already flaring up. Whoever was in possession of the device clearly wanted me out of the picture fast. Eventually, it was going to work, but I had to hold my ground here for as long as I possibly could.

My fists were balled, hidden behind the desk to release my stress, in an attempt to delay my inevitable exit. I couldn't show my weakness again, I had to somehow listen to and cross-examine Ms. Bell's testimony. Although, being unable to hear her made was going to make the task near impossible, but it shouldn't stop me.

Simon's gaze upon me made it difficult to hide my pain. His honour bound duty to my deceased mother, to protect me, seemed to be his priority while Ms. Bell made her testimony. After all he wasn't the person cross-examining the witness. His full attention wasn't required for the witness. Still, I was an adult now and I could take care of myself and my ears.

As my sight shifted back to Ms. Bell, the sound increased its intensity to the point where I screamed last time. I gritted my teeth behind my closed mouth. The pain and now dizziness was pounding my head relentlessly, and I felt like I was going to faint. I had to do something before that happens, but what could I possibly do?

Suddenly, I was unaware that my hand was moving up to my right ear. My fingertips carefully brushed the crescent earring as they rose higher. The instant my brain registered that action, I felt something stir up within me. I wasn't sure exactly what it was, but my head felt clearer and uncluttered. Maybe it was a sign from my mother that my thoughts should not be focused on the pain, but rather what I could do about it.

Then it dawned on me. What I had in common with Superman was that we hide our true selves to the public. Superman was born Superman, but in order to fit into society as an ordinary man, he had to disguise himself as Clark Kent. When the time came to save the day, he removed his costume to reveal his true self... a man of steel.

I didn't hide much of myself, but what I did hide was my sensitive hearing. I'd always seen it as a curse for most of my life. It was the reason I had to wear those horrible headphones. It was the reason I couldn't be a normal child. It was the reason why I thought my mother was using me for her research. It was the reason why the first eleven years of my life weren't as great as they should be.

When I decided to become a lawyer, I decided that my sensitive ears needed to be hidden from the world. In my journey to become the strongest lawyer I could be, I couldn't accept my sensitive hearing. I knew instead of me, Widget, a machine that doesn't discriminate or have any bias, would show and prove to the legal system that the witness was feeling those emotions. With my special ears out of the way, I could focus on my studies and exercise without being distracted by the possibility of my secret being revealed.

But now that it had been exposed to the courtroom and the public in the gallery, I shouldn't have any need to hide it anymore. Instead, I should be using it to my advantage, like any superhero would show off their superpowers. I might not be able to ultimately prove Dessie Bell of murdering Pascal Watt, but I could confirm that she was behind the unnatural noise and help Apollo and Simon find the truth of the murder.

First, I had to step outside these walls I set up, and strip off my disguise. It was time for me to force my way through the pain and use my gift.

"Athena, can you hear that noise again?" Came Apollo's voice unexpectedly.

I'd completely forgotten that my hand was near my ear. At least now Apollo knew what that cue meant. There was no point concealing it from him.

"Yeah... and it's a lot stronger than before," I whispered, and began rubbing the back of my ear with my thumb.

Before Apollo could speak another word, the resounding voice of Simon Blackquill called for silence in the courtroom. Everybody in the courtroom was confused at why he had to interrupt a witness testimony, but I bet Simon noticed my tell the moment my hand made contact with my ear.

Simon quickly clarified, "Your Honour, I believe the horrendous din is causing a disturbance in this courtroom again."

"Prosecutor Blackquill, please explain how you can tell that noise has returned to the court," the Judge demanded.

"I saw Athena rubbing her ears. When she was little, she rubbed an area around her ears; it was a non-verbal cue that she was burdened with sensory overload. This can only mean that person with the device is still at large!"

The Judge turned his attention to me. As much as I was grateful for Simon bringing this to the court's notice, I had a bad feeling about what it could mean for me.

"Ms. Cykes, I'm afraid you've interrupted court proceedings-"

"Objection!" I was not going to let the Judge finish what he needed to say. I heard enough. "I was not the one who stopped the witness during her testimony! Therefore, I shall remain in this courtroom!"

From the moment the last syllable escaped my lips, I felt a sharp noise strike my ears. I cried out, immediately covering my ears and lowering my head. As long as that horrid device was being used to incapacitate me, I wasn't going to last long. My head was pulsing, my ears were throbbing and I was about to give out.

What I needed was somebody's voice to focus on. Just to distract me from this torture I was enduring.

"Athena! Stay with me! They're not going to force you out of this courtroom as long as you stand tall."

That was Apollo... I was pretty certain it was his voice. I felt like whatever higher thinking processes I had were almost diminished. There wasn't much I could do to help Apollo, except a crazy idea that I was sure would push me beyond my boundaries.

"Apollo, I need you... to... to... take over for me." This was worse than I thought. I could barely think of what to say. "Make me... Force me... to approach the... the... witness."

I swore I heard Apollo's breath hitch from hearing my request. I could tell he didn't want to do this to me. But I wanted to do this. I wanted to use my gift and I didn't care how much it hurt. As long as it was a vital step to reveal the truth, I was content with my fate.

I heard the gavel slam. This was the moment that was going to make or break our case.

"Ms. Cykes, I'm afraid you're unable to continue. I would like Mr. Wright to escort you out of the courtroom. I understand you are in pain but I cannot allow your condition to stand in the way of proceedings any-"

"Objection!"

There was a hint of disbelief in Apollo's voice. I could hear that he couldn't believe what he was about to put me through. I inhaled and exhaled, as my focus was off the high frequency noise to my own breathing. It was the only thing that was keeping me going until I completed my task.

"The defence requests Athena Cykes... to approach the Ms. Bell to check if she is in possession of the device emitting the high pitched sound!"

"Mr. Justice, do you realise you're putting your co-worker through torture? And how does this relate to the case at hand?" The Judge questioned.

"I thought it was crazy that Athena suggested it to me and gave her permission. But then I realised that it was the only chance we could find the culprit behind these disturbances! This could lead us closer to the truth of Mr. Watt's murder!"

"Hmmm... What is the prosecution's stance on this?"

"The woman who is ailing from the disturbance has given her blessing. Therefore, the prosecution supports the defence."

"And the witness?"

"As long as she doesn't put her paws on me, I don't mind her search on me. After all, the police found nothing on me earlier; I doubt she'll find anything on me now."

"Then the court allows Ms. Cykes to approach the witness. Although, I will stop you if you appear in too much pain. Is that acceptable?"

I rose up, with the air rushing through my body. My hands were firmly covering my ears, blocking barely any of the abrasive sound entering. It was time.

"Yes, Your Honour."

"Then you may go ahead."

The courtroom went deadly silent. A pin drop could be heard by anyone, or rather what I was hearing. The discord that was emulated by a high pitched sound.

I could feel everybody's eyes on me, but the only person I was focused on was Ms. Bell. I took my first tentative steps around the bench and advanced towards her. She stared back at me with her icy blue orbs, but her intimidation tactics wasn't going to work on me. I was too weak to care.

All I cared about was whether the sound was getting louder and more intense as I grew closer to her. And it did with every step of progress I made. My body forced me to keep on going when my mind screamed for me to stop.

I only stopped when the only thing between us was the wooden frame of the witness stand. I blankly stared at her. All I could gather was that she had long brown hair and was wearing a thin woollen black jumper over a white blouse with a collar. She couldn't be hiding anything in those clothes, let alone a device.

I felt my body slump slightly. My hands quickly left my ears to grasp the wooden frame, leaving me completely vulnerable to the horrible noise. The sound was unbearable. I managed to gag a scream by biting my tongue. But I was going to collapse at any moment, and my strength was fading fast.

I took one last look upon Ms. Bell's face. Her expression was completely sinister, almost as if she was enjoying watching me crumple before her.

Before I knew it, the intensity of the high pitched sound increased. That was the knockout blow. My arms gave out and my body dropped onto the wooden frame. I thought that would knock me unconscious, but I refused to accept that. My ears registered something that had to be relayed to the first person I trust.

I felt a hand on my left shoulder and an arm around my waist. I was pulled up off the frame and found my back resting on somebody's shoulder. I hope it was somebody I could trust.

"Athena." I recognised that voice. It was my boss' voice. I just had to tell him what I needed to tell him in my semi-conscious state. Then I can allow myself to rest.

"Phoenix." It was all I could muster out. I had to dig deeper, somehow.

"You did well, but you need to rest."

I couldn't rest now.

"I... know."

"You know?"

I breathed in and out again. I felt that this was my last chance.

"Her... shoes... made the sound."

The last of my strength sapped away. Slipping into darkness never felt so comfortable.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you magic anon on the kink meme for requesting this prompt. Without the request, a fic wouldn't have been written about Athena's sensitive hearing anytime soon. I was saving up a moment in my major fic (hasn't been published anywhere yet) where Athena is affected by somebody is exploiting her sensitive hearing, but I decided writing this would be a good warm up for that scene and to get more in touch with myself.

With that being said, being the person that wrote the analysis on Athena's sensitive hearing, it's overwhelming in a good way that people are interested to learn how sensitive hearing works and how it affects people who live with it. I've lived my life with the condition, and it's a huge part of me. I've shown both my mother and father my analysis and they were happy that there's a character with a realistic portrayal of sensitive hearing. So thank you for reading it if you can read it. If you haven't, I'll provide a link in my profile.

Enjoy the final chapter!

* * *

**Kryptonite**

My eyes slowly flickered open. I couldn't hear discord or any high frequency noises. The only pain I felt was my pounding headache and my sore muscles from the lack of movement. I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn't allow me to.

From what I could see, I knew I wasn't in the courthouse anymore. I noticed a shelf full of books and case files behind a desk, and a potted plant right next to the desk. I had a feeling this place was familiar but why leave me here when I should be resting at my apartment?

"Athena!" I heard a sense of relief in the voice of the man, wherever he was in the room. He then moved to my line of sight, revealing that he was Apollo Justice. I smiled, as his appearance confirmed I was safe. "Thank God you're awake. We've all been worried about you!"

"How long have I been out?"

Apollo quickly checked the clock on the wall and answered, "Almost a day."

I couldn't believe it. Was I really out for that long? I don't exactly remember if sensory overload had knocked me out for that long in the past. Although, I hadn't experienced it in such a long while, my body was probably unprepared for such a hammering.

"Did you and Simon find the truth?"

"Yeah. Dessie Bell was the murderer, just as you suspected. She's getting charged extra for disrupting court procedures. As for Megan Hertz, all charges are being dropped against her."

All of a sudden, I was overcome with joy. All the pain and suffering I went through was worth it. I barely remember what was going through my mind at the time, having adrenaline overriding most of my thoughts. But I refused to give up and somehow heard exactly where the sound was coming from. Even though I wasn't the one who ultimately proved Ms. Bell's guilt, I felt that I had a major part in doing so.

I attempted to sit up again, but this time Apollo gently placed a hand on my shoulder and pushed me back down on the couch. I groaned in frustration, wanting to stretch to get rid of the soreness in my limbs.

"Don't push yourself Athena. I'll take care of everything," Apollo reassured.

While he was patting my shoulder, he looked up at the clock on the walled behind me. Then, he swore under his breath and quickly headed towards our boss' desk. I craned my head, trying to see what he was doing, but it was difficult to see anything from my position on the couch. I managed to move my body up the couch so I could peek around it, but Apollo wasn't around the desk anymore.

"Athena, relax. I'm not leaving you alone," Apollo said in a soothing voice.

I turned my attention towards him, spotting a package and card in his left hand. He kneeled and bestowed the items in arm's reach, so I managed to receive them easily. As I placed the gift on my stomach, Apollo had gotten up on his feet again.

"I have to give Mr. Wright a call. He was getting lunch for us and, well, I don't want you to get left out since you're awake now. So... what do you want?" Apollo asked, dialling the number.

"The usual," I answered lazily, as I couldn't be bothered to think.

While Apollo was pacing and waiting for our boss to pick up, I had a better look at the card he handed me. It was a 'Get Well Soon' card, with a rose on the cover. I chuckled, it wasn't the appropriate card given my condition, but the thought was much appreciated.

I opened it up, surprised to see more than three individual messages. I felt touched that other people that cared about me had the time to come over and write in this card. Reading through the messages, I smiled when Junie said I was brave and overcame my sensitivity to catch the culprit, amused when Simon scolded me to not overdo it again and glad when my boss wrote that he was proud of me and did my best fighting adversity.

The next article was written by Trucy, and it was a bit longer than the other three. It read: _Hey Athena! I wish I was there to see you in action. Daddy told me you were like Superman, removing your meek persona and turning into the fearless woman you truly are! Without your help, the culprit would've gotten away with it! Although, you probably shouldn't push yourself too far every time your ears hurt. Anyway, Daddy and I got you the most appropriate present for your victory! And I hope you make a full recovery! Trucy Wright._

I felt grateful hearing from Trucy. Her optimistic and bright outlook on things always made me feel a better when I'm down. Although, I doubt what I did in court made a huge difference to the entire case. Trucy though did have me wondering what was inside the gift that she or my boss wrapped up. But I couldn't unwrap it yet; I had to finish reading the last long entry from who I assumed was Apollo's.

"Are you finished reading?" I jumped hearing Apollo's voice, pressing the card to my chest. I stared at him to confirm the voice did belong to Apollo Justice and not anybody impersonating him.

"I was just about to read yours."

"Oh. Looks like my timing couldn't have been better," Apollo stated as he lowered his body to my level, "I... kind of didn't know exactly what to write. So I was thinking of saying it to you, if that makes sense."

"If you prefer it that way that's fine. But there are a few things I want to know first... and you can think about what you want to say to me," I quickly responded. Apollo was slightly dazed by my request, but he didn't openly object to it. "How did Ms. Bell get the device in the courthouse in the first place and how was it hidden from the police who searched her during the recess?"

"You won't believe it, but I heard that the boots she wore were steel toe boots. Since the device was located in her shoes, Ms. Bell was able to pass it off because her shoes already had a piece of metal in them. And when the bailiffs and police searched everybody during the recess, I saw that they didn't check the shoes. It's understandable, there was no time for a completely thorough search of everybody and I doubt they would suspect anybody hiding it in their shoes, of all places."

I was bewildered that she wore steel toe boots, as they were commonly used by people who work on construction sites. Although, I suppose the steel toe aspect managed to make its way into more fashionable footwear. The lack of a completely thorough search I understood immediately due to the circumstances of the recess. The facts made sense, and I was happy with Apollo's explanation. However, there were a few questions that bothered me.

"That's reasonable. So, how did this device work?"

"There was a switch that she could easily change the intensity of the sound it emitted. I didn't get a close up look of the device, but it's a crafty piece of work by her company."

"Her company?"

"She works for a business that cons individuals and companies... and they also create some gadgets. You might not realise it, but because we found the device in her boots, we were able to trace her other criminal activities and form her motive for killing Mr. Watt."

I was speechless. Trucy was right, if I didn't do what I did yesterday, Dessie Bell could've potentially gotten away with everything. It was hard to comprehend that my struggle with my sensory overload and finding the device actually made a huge breakthrough in the case.

"It's fine Athena. Sometimes we don't know how significant our actions are in the scheme of things. That... goes for me too."

Apollo looked away from me for a moment. I swore I heard his voice crack too, with a lot of complex emotions laced in his last sentence. I wanted to dig deeper into the cause of those emotions, but this wasn't the right time to do so. There was one last question I had to have answered.

"It still doesn't explain one thing though. How did Ms. Bell know about my sensitive hearing? And take advantage of it in the way she did?"

"Funny. I thought you would remember that."

Was Apollo being sarcastic? No, he couldn't be. But where did I slip up? I was confused, and searching through my memories didn't help.

"I don't. My head is a bit fuzzy. Can you remind me?"

"Just before Ms. Bell was stolen from us by the police, you said _'Ms. Bell, you don't sound upset that a man died in front of you.' _And then the policeman thought you were being rude to her because she appeared 'distressed and traumatized.' So, he escorted her away from us."

Again, I was blown away. How could I forget that? It didn't seem significant, yet it explained everything. Ms. Bell became distressed because I pointed out an abnormality, then the policeman led her away from me and Apollo. She suspected that my hearing was susceptible to faint sounds and tones, so she prepared for it in court. Turns out her suspicions were right and her device caused me pain. Her ominous smile I witnessed revealed how pleased she was seeing me in agony, as her plan to remove me worked.

What Ms. Bell didn't count on was me being capable of finding the root of the high pitched noise. I had no idea how she reacted, but I wasn't interested finding out what else happened while I was unconscious. What Phoenix, Apollo and Simon had done was proof enough that Ms. Bell was forced to answer for her crimes.

"Thanks Apollo. That's all I needed to ask." I smiled meekly, knowing that everything I wanted to know had been cleared up.

"Good to hear. I better tell you what I wanted to say, before I forget." Apollo took several breaths before he continued. "There's a part of me that regrets putting you through sensory overload again, to further our case. I can't imagine how it feels, but seeing you with your hands over your ears and your head down had me distraught. That's why I was so worried about you in the lobby and when you asked me to make you approach Ms. Bell. I couldn't stand to see you in excruciating pain."

I didn't know what to feel about what Apollo just told me. I was gratified that he was so considerate about my sensitive hearing, yet I felt horrible for forcing him to see me suffer. What else could I do? It was my case, my responsibility. I couldn't just abandon Ms. Hertz because I was being affected by an abrasive sound that triggered my sensitive hearing.

"If it wasn't for Mr. Wright, the other part of me would have been overshadowed by my regret. He told me to be considerate of your condition and to keep a close eye on you. The most important part of it though was... to trust you. Mr. Wright wanted me to trust you because you would've figured it out but Ms. Bell was doing everything in her power to keep it covered. I know I've lost trust in you in the past, but when I let you do what you did and it revealed the truth... I felt so relieved that I can trust you again. So, I'm sorry for putting you through all that, but I'm thankful that I can depend on you."

I was touched by his speech, and reached out to Apollo. His lips formed a grin, and leaned over to embrace me. His arms felt gentle around my body as mine wrapped loosely around his shoulders. After the whirlwind of a trial we had been through, we both needed a hug.

Soon, he carefully placed me back down on the couch. I immediately felt the upper half of my body felt better from the soreness, so perhaps I could get up on my feet sometime soon. Apollo though, seemed distracted by my present dropping to the ground while we were hugging. He picked it up and handed it to me.

"You should open it. I think you'll like it."

With that vote of confidence, I tore into the wrapping paper. In no time at all, I removed the paper and gazed at my gift. It was an action figurine of Superman. What an ironic sense of humour my boss had.

"That's... a bit childish," Apollo chimed in disapprovingly, "Why Superman?"

"I think it serves as a reminder."

"A reminder of overcoming your sensitive hearing and making a huge breakthrough in our case?"

Apollo was close. Yet, Superman represented much more than that to me. Superman was born with a ton of superhuman abilities, but he had to hide them because the world would be afraid of him. I was born with a special ability, yet I didn't know how to use it, forcing me to keep it concealed. However, there was a major flaw. Superman's greatest weakness was a rare material called Kryptonite, where he would become weak and human if exposed to it. My sensitive hearing often gave me sensory overload, and I was unable to live a normal life. To fit into society, we both were forced to be normal. Superman had to be a man named Clark Kent and work as a journalist. I had my hearing desensitised so that I could tolerate most noises, then I grew up to be a lawyer that used Widget to prove the contradictions between the emotions and statements witnesses had, instead of just my own innate ability.

How Superman used his abilities was less complicated than mine. He had the ability to save lives from people that threatened to take them. His enemies were somehow in possession of Kryptonite, but with lives on the line, Superman didn't need to think twice. He fought his enemies, even though he could be severely weakened by them, because of his resolve and determination to save the human race.

My ability though, gave me a choice. I could see my sensitive hearing as my Kryptonite. So I'd end up relying on Widget all the time and disregard what I heard. Although, I could see my special ears as my greatest gift. That it made me attuned to my surroundings and people, so that I have complete awareness and that I could uncover the truth.

_**I can't imagine life without my sensitive hearing. After all the pain and adversity I had experienced, I wouldn't be the person I am today without my special ears.**_

* * *

Name puns  
-Megan Hertz = MegaHertz (MHz). Basically 1 million hertz is a MHz. A unit for sound frequency.  
-Dessie Bell = Decibel (dB). Used prominently to measure acoustics.  
-Pascal Watt = Pascal is a unit for sound pressure. A Watt is a unit for Sound Power.

I remember saying in an earlier chapter that I used Superman related media such as music (like 3 Doors Down's Kryptonite) and movies (Man of Steel) to help me write the fic. Well, I kind of left out one of them. The other movie that helped me write the fic is Kill Bill Vol.2, where there's a scene where Bill says 'Superman is born Superman, and Clark Kent is his disguise.' The context of that scene isn't as uplifting, but it certainly helped me establish the fic and give more similarities between Superman and Athena Cykes.

And that's it for the fic. I'll be working on Direction (which I am close to finishing) and another other project for Ace Attorney. Thank you for reading this!


End file.
